Defender first to host all six candidates in mayoral debate

The first
candidate to arrive at the DuSable Museum of African American History, for the Chicago
Defender mayoral
debate, was William “Dock” Walls.

“I am the
first one here and I will be the last one to leave,” he said. “That is a work
ethic I have adopted since working for (the late) Mayor Harold Washington.”

Wednesday
was the first time all six Chicago mayoral candidates – Walls, Carol Moseley
Braun, Patricia Van Pelt-Watkins, Gery Chico, Rahm Emanuel, and Miguel del
Valle – participated in a public debate.

Shortly
after Walls showed up Watkins arrived ready and eager to start the debate.

“I am
glad to be hear among Chicagoans and look forward to discussing issues that
affect them,” Watkins said prior to the debate starting.

By the
time the debate began at 6:30 p.m. Chico had also arrived making three
candidates on time. Emanuel, Braun and del Valle all showed up late due to a
prior commitment but did apologize for their tardiness.

Marion
Brooks, news anchor for NBC5 Chicago moderated the debate and the four
panelists were Lou Ransom, executive editor, Chicago Defender, Neffer Kerr, a representative
from the Student Board of Trustees at Chicago State University, Cheryle
Jackson, former president and chief executive officer for the Chicago Urban
League, and journalist Monroe Anderson.

Candidates
not only answered questions from the panelists but also questions submitted by
the audience.

By the
time del Valle and Braun arrived they had missed the opening questions about
how to improve Chicago Public Schools’ drop out rate and the city’s economic
development.

Chico
said to lower the drop out rate, which is more than 50 percent; schools must
get engaged when students are young and to extend the school day and school
year.

Emanuel
prefers giving schools a performance contract they must meet, much like many
charters schools already do.

Walls
took a different stance.

He said
more attention is needed for students and for those students needing additional
attention there should be no reason why they do not receive it.

And
Watkins, who often stood to answer questions rather than remain seated like
every other candidate, recommends first hiring an educator to head up CPS and
then provide more emotional and social support to students and teachers.

Economic
development was another topic tackled by the candidates.

“We have
to make sure everyone has equal access to city contracts,” Walls said. (After
all) communities are built around parks, schools and libraries.”

“We need
more jobs in our communities. There has been too much attention on downtown,”
explained Chico.

Removing
hiring barriers could lead to more jobs, which could ultimately lead to more
economic development, argued Watkins.

“Many
people from our communities have felony records and cannot get a job because of
it,” she said. “And I am not saying employers should not do background checks,
but let’s not punish people for life.”

The
billions of dollars the city’s 162 Tax Increment Financing districts have
generated should be used to help build economic development, Emanuel said.

“TIFs
have to be restructured to their original purpose,” he added.

Candidates
were asked if they support slavery reparations and all of the candidates but
del Valle said yes.

Rather
than give a yes or no answer del Valle instead chose to discuss the need to
build up neighborhoods and added that “this is reparations to me.”

For the
last few years the city has faced a bigger budget deficit and candidates were
asked how to deal with it.

Getting
city contractors, who Walls said reap millions each year, to cut their profit
margin, is one way to do it. He also said the city needs to grow its revenue
stream.

Acknowledging
that the city’s budget is broken Chico said he would review the entire budget
to search for ways to cut waste to avoid raising taxes as a means to increase
revenues.

Taxes is
exactly what Emanuel said needs to be cut to reduce the budget. He favors
eliminating the employee head tax employers must pay for each new person it
hires. He would also cut the sales tax for specific retail items.

Braun
would renegotiate the parking meter lease deal she said the city got robbed on.
Additionally, she would place a moratorium on TIFs and eliminate some city
subsidies.

Going
through the budget line by line to identify unnecessary spending is the route
del Valle said he would go.

And
Watkins said she would conduct a forensic audit to identify any fraud or theft
that may have occurred. She would also waive fees for two-years for
entrepreneurs to allow them time start their business and to build it up.

Afterwards,
members of the standing-room-only audience weighed in on the candidates’
performance.

“Now that
I had a chance to listen to all candidates, I would vote for Carol,” said
Chestine Allen, 79, who arrived undecided. “She strikes me as a person who
cares about the community and that is important to me.”

Retired
elementary school principal Steven Jones Sr. was also undecided but

now plans
to vote for Emanuel.

“He gave
the most logistical answers needed to fix Chicago,” said the 66 year-old
Chicagoan.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Good job, Internet. Someone who must double as a sports fan and a MSTie remembered that "Mystery Science Theater 3000" episode Giant Spider Invasion
made a running joke of "Packers won the Super Bowl! Go Packers!" Mike
and the bots repeated the line — and variations thereof — repeatedly
throughout the 1975 monsterfest, filmed in Merrill, Wisconsin. Here's a
montage of all the references, which provide a charming celebration of
last night's Super Bowl victory:

Slaughterfeeds

Slaughtertime

"Neither a borrower nor a lender be."
Debt = bad. Merit = good.

Slaughtermail

Slaughter Caesar

"...liberty is apt to be infected with a spirit of narrow and illiberal distrust."

We are immersed in your world, and our intentions are not pure, we are the postmodern technocracy, existence as you know it is over, your life as it has been is over, we will add your
biological and technological distinctiveness to our own, from this time forward you will service us. Resistance is
futile.

Slaughterlegal

Disclaimer:

Please also visit saturdayeveningpost.com original publication while we fight to the death in pit of discount plushies to decide then buy a domain URL. Nobody watches disabled codes, blocked videos, nor removed tracks. Slaughterday is not responsible if viewer becomes frozen in time. Intellectual-property complaints are only valid if made by intellectuals. For transcendental advice, inquiries, requests, e-mail lordeponymous@gmail.com and wait, wait hard. If you see naughty stuff, we've been haxored, butt comments redirect coffee pizza time spaceship.
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